I Love You
by MingoGirl
Summary: Loki is stewing in his cell after Frigga was killed when he receives a visitor.
1. Chapter 1

**Yay for my first Avengers fic! This is just a short one-shot somewhere in the beginning of ****_Thor: The Dark World_****. Hope y'all enjoy!**

Loki lowered his head, lank black hair falling in his face and covering his grief-dulled eyes. He did not wish to see the disappointment in his love's eyes. He knew that she was coming to lecture and berate him, and Loki knew he deserved it. After allowing himself to be brainwashed into attempting the subjugation of Midgard, he deserved far worse. He counted himself lucky that she was deigning to visit him at all, even of it was in anger.

"Loki," she called softly, catching the god off guard. Her melodic voice sent chills down his spine, just as it always had.

Not raising his head, the raven-haired man responded. "I did not expect you to come."

"Why would I not?"

Loki smiled darkly, a hint of the madness that had once consumed him showing. "Who would want to come see the bastard son of Jotunheim? The frost giant runt who cannot even call himself a giant? Who would deign to visit another monster in the dungeons?"

Quiet shuffling answered him and Loki assumed that she had left him to his misery, but when he looked up, he saw her there, forehead and palms pressed against the glass.

"Someone who loves you dearly," she murmured, pale blue eyes filled with nothing but honesty and love.

Unable to draw his gaze away from her mesmerizing form, Loki stared, struggling to maintain his usual blank façade. "How could one still love me?"

"I'll tell you if you come closer," the curly haired woman answered coyly.

Loki narrowed his green eyes, but relented. He pushed himself to his feet, limping slightly on his injured foot. Once he was in front of her, the god dropped to his knees so he could be eye-level with her. He silently cursed the barrier between them that kept him from feeling the warmth of her flesh against his as he mirrored her position.

"How could one still love me?" He asked again, unable to match her gaze once more.

"I love you simply because is always have. Loving you is what I do, it defines who I am. Rarely does anyone know me beyond 'the one who puts up with Loki,' or 'the woman who _wants_ to be with _Loki_.' For me, loving you is normal, and not loving you would ruin me."

"So you continue to love me simply because you know nothing else," Loki scoffed bitterly, moving once again away from the glass.

A sudden hand on his shoulder stopped him. "No," she whispered. "I continue to love you because I do not _wish_ to know anything else."

Loki turned to face his love once more. He said nothing, but she could see the raw emotions dancing behind his eyes. She had always been able to read him like one of the books he so loved, even when no one else could and he always pushed her away because of it. That is why Sigyn was utterly shocked when he suddenly yanked her close, crushing her slight form to his warm chest.

"I love you too," he whispered into her hair.

**Woo! Super short, but I wanted to keep it short and sweet, almost to the point where it becomes saccharine. Hope I did okay. Review! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright, I didn't think I was going to expand this at all, but here we go. Part two. Get ready for the Loki feels. **

Loki paced around his cell nervously, though to anyone watching, he was reading quietly. He was waiting for her to come back, he needed her to come back. It had been less than a day since she had visited him last, but Loki already felt restless without his love nearby. He had grown dependent on her visits to break the endless monotony of his solitude in the past weeks. She should not have had any trouble with the guards; she had spoken to Thor and convinced him to allow the visits.

So why then, would she be running late today? Was something wrong? Was she hurt? Had the All-father interfered? What if-?

Loki's internal raving we're cut off by the sound of familiar footsteps. Abandoning his illusion, the raven-haired man rushed forward, eager to see his beloved. Though she was only a few minutes behind schedule, it still put him on edge.

"I apologize for being late," Sigyn said as she stepped gracefully into view.

"You-." Loki broke off when he saw Thor step in behind his love. After a brief moment of surprise, He straightened his spine and stepped back, adopting a cool demeanor.

"Have you finally remembered me, brother?" He sneered.

"I would advise you not to speak in such a manner to the one who intends to let you not of your cage," Thor growled darkly.

Loki's eyes widened, the only indication that he hadn't expected Thor's words. "You- what?"

Sigyn rushed forward, eyes alight with joy. "That is why I was late," she said quickly. "I was pleading with the All-father to let me take you outside for a while. He agreed under the conditions that Thor be with us at all times, and that you wear this." She held up a thin silver chain with a pale gem set in the center.

"What is that?" he asked, eyeing the necklace suspiciously.

"It will suppress your magic while you wear it," Thor explained, moving forward to stand by his brother's wife.

"And if I refuse?"

"Then I am no longer permitted to see you," Sigyn said bluntly. She saw a brief flicker of panic flash through Loki's green eyes.

Before he could answer, Thor spoke again. "We know that Sigyn has been magicking herself into your supposedly magic-resistant cell, and if she can get in, we know she can get you out."

"So this is a test?" Loki hissed. "To see if you can trust me? To see if I will run away?"

"No Loki," Sigyn said, pressing her left hand to the glass. Almost reflexively, Loki pressed his own palm to hers. "We both want to prove to the All-father that you will not. Neither of us wishes you to be in this cage."

Thor nodded confirmation. "She speaks the truth, brother. No matter what you have done in the past, we both wish you free, but we must know if we can trust you."

Loki did not respond for a long time, mulling over his options. Occasionally, the fingers on his right hand would twitch as though they wished to twine with those of his wife.

"Alright," he said suddenly. "When do we start?"

Sigyn wriggled with excitement and threw her arms around Loki's neck, inadvertently magicking herself through the barrier.

Deciding to ignore his brother for the moment, Loki chuckled and wound his slender arms around his wife's waist. "I do not think you meant to do that," he whispered into her hair.

Grinning sheepishly up at him, Sigyn shrugged. "Maybe not." She tip-toed and pressed a brief kiss to his lips. "The magic has a mind of its own."

"You must learn to control it," he chided gently, kissing her forehead.

Thor cleared his throat. "Speaking of controlling magic." He held up the silver chain.

Loki straightened his spine again, reluctantly relinquishing his hold on Sigyn. "One moment," he said before clothing himself more appropriately.

Thor opened his cell, bracing himself for trickery, but Loki simply extended a hand for the chain. The blond grunted and placed the chain around his brother's neck himself, just in case.

"Shall we go?" Loki asked, suddenly eager. "I find I am more than ready to leave this cell behind."

"This is only for a few hours," Thor interjected sharply.

Loki waved a hand dismissively. "Either way, a change of scenery will be nice."

Sigyn threaded her fingers through Loki's, her hand easily dwarfed by his. "Let us go. We ought not waste any time."

"Where shall we go?" Loki mused.

"The All-father will not allow you to leave the palace," Thor said.

"I know just the place," Sigyn put in, glaring at Thor. "Come on."

A few minutes later, the trio stood on a balcony. All around them were flowers, shrubs, and trees.

"Why have you brought me here?" Loki asked stiffly.

"It was Thor's idea," Sigyn said quietly. "He though, since you missed the funeral..." She trailed off, worried by the blank look in his face.

Thor placed a gentle hand upon his brother's shoulder. "Come with me," he murmured.

Loki reluctantly followed his brother through their mother's garden. Thor led him to a small cherry tree, barely six feet tall, that was just beginning to flower.

"We will wait for you by the entrance," Sigyn whispered, already backing away with Thor.

Loki nodded that he understood and the pair left him alone with the tree. Memories crashed over Loki like a tidal wave, bringing him to his knees.

_"Why are we burying a cherry, momma?" Loki asked, curiosity brimming in his young green eyes. _

_"Because it will grow into a tree," Frigga answered patiently. "And it will be our tree. Come, kneel here."_

_Loki obediently knelt opposite his mother, the small hole she'd dug between them. When she held out her hands, palms to the sky, The young boy automatically placed his own above hers, palms up and cherry in them. _

_"Have you been practicing what I've taught you?" Frigga asked, earning an enthusiastic nod from her dark-haired son. "Good. We are going to enchant this cherry so that we will always be able to find one another, even across realms." _

_Loki's youthful face shone with joy and he quivered with excitement. "I'm ready!" he whispered, almost reverently. _

_Frigga smiled and nodded. "Then do as I've taught you." _

_The pair lapsed into silence, a blue-green light emanating from their hands, blinding to anyone who was not wielding the magic. After a few moments, Frigga withdrew her hands and loki mirrored her actions. The still-glowing cherry fell into the hole and the two hurried it gently. _

_"Now you will always be able to find me," she said warmly, standing up and brushing her skirts free a dirt. _

_Loki stood as well and wrapped his thin arms around his mother's waist, burying his face in her abdomen. "I'll never need to find you, momma," he mumbled as he felt her arms wrap around his narrow shoulders. "I'll never leave you."_

The memory brought Loki to tears. "I am so sorry mother," he whispered, hot tears streaming down his face.

A light touch on his chin made him look up. Before him stood a likeness of his mother, made entirely of cherry blossoms.

"Momma?" he gasped, shock regressing him to the childhood endearment.

'_Yes, my son.'_ The words were not spoken aloud, but Loki could hear them nevertheless.

"How?" He mouthed.

The likeness of Frigga smiled gently. _'I told you when we planted this tree. It is our tree.'_

Loki fell forward, half-expecting to fall through the mass of flowers, but was pleasantly surprised when the didn't give and he rested against them. Arms wrapped around his shoulders as they began to shake with sobs. "I'm so sorry momma," he whispered, repeating the words over and over again.

Frigga placed a hand under his chin again, forcing him to look at her. _'Do not apologize my son. This was not your fault.' _

"Yes it was," he choked out. "I-I told that creature where to go. It was all my fault."

Smiling sadly, the woman shook her head._ 'He would have found me anyway. He would have killed me for defending Jane, even if he'd not been pointed in the right direction.' _

"I have betrayed everything you taught me! I killed people- innocent people! I killed _you_!"

Frigga dropped to her knees. _'No my son. You lost your way, but now you've found it again.'_

"But it's too late," he whispered brokenly. "You're already gone."

'_No. I will never leave you.'_

"I love you momma," Loki whispered taking in her scent, which, surprisingly, was her own and not that of cherry blossoms.

'_And I love you,'_ Frigga whispered, the magic beginning to fade.

Loki felt the small flowers caress his skin as the magic fully dissipated. Ha sat beneath the tree for a long time after it was gone, pondering what had happened.

**Well there ya go. Hope you enjoyed. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Well this is getting a lot more attention than I thought it would, even of no one will leave a review (cough cough hint hint). Haha, this chapter is the reason for the rating jump. Have fun!**

Loki's excursions through the palace with Sigyn and Thor had become an almost daily occurrence. At first, most everyone would immediately leave the room or glare at him until he left, but after six months, all but a few treated him as they had before everything had gone wrong. The only one who genuinely seemed to hate him now was Lady Sif, whom he was currently sitting across the table from. She was attempting to glare a dagger through his skull while he fingered the chain around his neck. He was still required to wear it when not in his cell, though he generally wore it there as well.

"Tell me," he said, faint amusement evident in his tone, "why is it you look as though you'd love nothing more than to imbed a blade between my eyes?"

Sif narrowed her eyes dangerously. She had been put on temporary Loki-duty while Thor and Sigyn prepared some sort of surprise for him. "You are a traitor," the woman warrior growled. "I do not trust you."

"Do not tell me you are still sore over your hair," Loki smirked, remembering his actions centuries before with fondness.

Sif snorted. "I do not care about that any longer."

"Then what is it? Is it because of Thor?" Loki saw pain flicker across Sif's face. "Ah, so you are still fond of Thor. It must hurt to see him waste his time on a mortal while you so obviously pine for him." Loki paused when he saw rage contort his companions face. "I will speak with him if you wish."

Surprise smoothed Sif's features. "What?"

Loki offered her one of his rare genuine smiles, the ones he usually reserved for his wife. "I could see if I could talk some sense into him. Point out that he will only hurt himself if he becomes more attached to her, as she will be gone in less than a century. Tell him that there is a woman right under his nose that would gladly spend her days with him."

Sif narrowed her eyes. "Why? What would you want in return?"

Loki placed a hand on his chest dramatically, clutching his heart. "Oh, how you wound me, Lady Sif." Straightening up, he leaned forward and placed his chin on his folded hands. "I would wish nothing in return. I merely wish to prove that I do not mean you any harm."

"Just like you meant no harm to the Midgardians?" Sif spat.

Loki recoiled as though she'd struck him. He studied her carefully for a moment before slumping into his chair. "When I...fell...from the bridge, I was pulled into a place that is not of these realms. I wandered alone for I know not how long until the Chitauri found me. At first they simply kept me around for entertainment. They forced me to fight their other prisoners until only I remained. I thought they would be through with me once there was no one else for me to slaughter, but they were not. They began to torture me for no other purpose than to hear me scream in agony. They would burn me, cut me, break my bones, starve me...I considered myself lucky on the days when that was the worst I endured. Once, they flayed me, just to see if I could survive it. Once I recovered from the flaying, I was brought to their leader. He essentially told me that I would either get the Tesseract for him, or I would return to where I'd just been brought from. I chose the option that seemed least likely to get me killed. Once I was given the scepter, I fell into what I can only describe as a trance. I was aware of my actions, but it was as if they were not really mine. I felt as though I were trapped in my mind as someone else controlled my body. I believe what I experienced is similar to what I did to Barton and Selvig." Loki smiled bitterly. "The same thing snapped me out of it anyway. I believe Agent Romanoff referred to it as 'cognitive recalibration.' After that, I believe you know the rest."

Sif was silent for a few minutes after Loki finished speaking. "Why are you telling me this?" she asked finally.

"In hopes you would understand why I did what I did, even without forgiving. I simply wish for you to understand."

Silence again dominated the space between them. "I do understand," Sif said. "And while I do not pretend to approve, knowing why you chose the path you did...I do believe I would forgive, or at least forget, more easily."

"But?" Loki prompted, knowing there was more.

Sif offered a rueful smile. "If you were not known for your silver-tongued lies, I may not be so skeptical."

Loki frowned and stood up and placed both hands on the hem of his tunic. "If you do not mind, I should like to prove my story is the truth." When Sif nodded her approval, Loki quickly peeled off the garment, leaving him bare from the waist up.

Upon seeing the ravaged skin that comprised Loki's torso, Sif felt her jaw drop. Scars covered nearly every inch of his skin, some even crawling up his neck or disappearing into his pants. Sif stared at his skin, wondering what the Chitauri could have possibly done to leave such horrendous marks on an Asgardian's once-flawless skin.

Loki watched, mildly uncomfortable at baring his ruined skin, as Sif stood and came around the table to stand before him. Cautiously, she extended a hand and rested it lightly on his abdomen. She felt his muscles tense smoothly beneath her fingertips as he recoiled and gripped her wrist, preventing her from touching him again. He quickly pulled his tunic back on, a look of extreme discomfort on his face.

"Do you still think me dishonest?" he asked, refusing to meet the warriors eyes.

"No Loki," she whispered. "I do not."

"Good, " he said stiffly. Sitting down, Loki picked absently at the food on his plate, no longer feeling hungry at all. Sif also sat down and the pair lapsed into an uncomfortable silence.

Ten minutes later, Sigyn and Thor entered the room and, upon noticing the tension between Loki and Sif, hesitated to approach.

Sensing their presence, Loki looked over his shoulder. When he saw Sigyn, he could not restrain the smile that crept onto his face. He stood quickly and rushed over to her, placing a small kiss on her temple and winding his arm around her narrow waist and holding her close.

Sif stood more slowly and moved to stand next to Thor, who placed a friendly hand on her shoulder. A brief flick of Sigyn's fingers and Thor's arm was slung carelessly over Sif's suddenly tense shoulders. The warriors tried to appear nonchalant, but the awkwardness was clear on both of their faces.

A quiet giggle erupted from Sigyn. "Sorry," she said. "I could not resist."

Thor chuckled deep in his throat. "There is no need to apologize," he assured his sister-in-law. No one failed to notice that he had yet to remove his arm from Sif.

"What would your Jane think if she could see you now?" Loki teased.

Thor's face darkened. "While I do care intensely for Jane, we have decided to cease our relationship. It would not be fair to either of us to be together while she ages so much slower than I."

Sif carefully removed herself from Thor's embrace, though Loki did not miss the look of joy that flashed across her face. "I am sorry Thor. I know you care for her deeply."

Thor smiled. "Thank you Sif."

Impatient to be off, Sigyn spoke up. "Shall we go?"

A large grin spread across Thor's face and he looked a bit mischievous. "Maybe you two should go without us. I do believe the unveiling should be kept between the two of you."

Loki's brow furrowed in confusion. Before he could ask any questions, his wife was tugging him out of the room. The echo of Thor's laughter followed them out.

"What's going on?" Loki asked.

"You'll see!" Sigyn answered mysteriously.

Loki pretended to pout as he allowed himself to be dragged through the palace. Sigyn led him on a winding path through the elaborate corridors. They finally came to a halt outside a single door.

"What is this? Loki asked, curiosity beginning to get the better of him.

"Close your eyes," Sigyn ordered, ignoring her husband's question. Seeing him about to protest, the small woman tip-toed and kissed him passionately. While he was distracted by her sudden kiss, Sigyn managed to slip a blindfold over his eyes. As she tied the cloth, Loki smiled.

"That was sneaky," he growled playfully, but made no move to remove the blindfold.

"I learned from the best," Sigyn said sweetly, placing another lingering kiss on Loki's mouth. "Are you ready for your surprise?"

Loki nodded, vaguely wondering when his wife had become so affectionate. Was it because they were finally alone? No, they had been alone in his cell and had barely touched. What had changed?

Hearing the door open pulled Loki from his musings. He felt Sigyn pulling on his hands and allowed himself to be led into whatever was on the other side of the door. After only a few paces, Sigyn released his hands, leaving Loki utterly alone in the dark. He heard her footsteps lead behind him and the door close. Arms slid around his waist from behind. Loki placed his hands over hers, reveling in the simple contact. It had been a long time since he'd been able to hold his love without the scrutiny of others. Turning around, he pulled her to his chest and placed his cheek on her head.

"I take it you do not wish to know what this room is?" Sigyn asked cheekily.

"I am content," Loki whispered. "Just so long as this is not a room full of people, in which case I will have to jump out the nearest window."

Sigyn chuckled and reached up to untie Loki's blindfold. Blinking while his eyes adjusted, Loki looked around the room.

"Why are we in your chambers?" he asked, confusion and a bit of nervousness on his face.

Sigyn shook her head, a smile pulling at her lips. "Not mine. Ours."

Green eyes went wide. "O-ours?"

"Yes!" A full-fledged grin was now splitting Sigyn's face. "The All-father decided that you will be allowed to stay here and have limited freedom. You still cannot roam the palace alone, but you can now go outside as well."

"With an escort of course."

Sigyn nodded. "And you no longer have to wear the chain while inside the palace."

Loki fingered the chain around his neck gingerly. He'd hardly taken it off since he'd received it. "Everyone seems to breathe more easily when I have it on."

"Then leave it on." Sigyn shrugged. "It is up to you." She approached him again and slid her arms around his neck. "Everything else however," she whispered against his lips, "will have to go."

Loki smiled, his hands resting lightly on her waist. "And why is that?" he murmured as he began to ghost his lips over her neck.

Tilting her head back, Sigyn had to suppress a shiver before she could answer. "Because we have been apart far too long, and I find myself yearning for you."

Loki withdrew abruptly. "Would you still yearn for me if my body was not as you remember it?" he asked, face impossible to read.

Sigyn smiled and tightened her arms around her husband's neck. "Of course. I want you, imperfections and all. I do not care if your skin is flawed, you are still my husband, my Loki, and I love you."

A small, sad smile splayed across Loki's face. "Are you certain of that? I have been physically unmade. Nothing is as you remember it."

"I do not care," Sigyn said firmly. "Now shut up and kiss me."

Her forward behavior pulled true smile from Loki, and he obediently leaned down to kiss his wife tenderly, but Sigyn would have none of that. She growled quietly and gave Loki a shove that sent him sprawling onto their new bed. Before he had time to collect his wits, Sigyn was over him, a knee on either side of his hips.

Loki grinned wolfishly up at his wife. "So that is how you want it, eh?" Without giving her a chance to respond, Loki flipped them over, firmly gripping her wrists in one hand while his other kept the bulk of his weight off her petite frame. "You must know that you cannot win," he purred in her ear before attacking her neck with nips and kisses. A quiet groan pulled from Sigyn's lips as she angled her head to give Loki better access.

Shifting his weight to his knees, Loki began to inch his free hand down his wife's thigh. Slowly, he fisted the material of her dress and began to pull it up, exposing the smooth flesh of her legs. He paused when the bottom of her skirt reached the middle of her thighs.

"May I?" he whispered against her neck, just as he always did.

"Please," Sigyn groaned. "I need you."

She felt Loki smile against her her skin as he carefully untied the lacing on the front of her dress, loosening it enough so that he could pull it off her. To do so, however, he would have to release her wrists, which meant he would have to wrestle for control again. Deciding it was worth it, Loki released Sigyn's wrists and placed both hands on her hips, pushing the dress up and over her head.

Sigyn smiled mischievously as she sat up, forcing Loki to sit back on his haunches. She yanked his tunic up over his head, leaving him bare from the waist up for the second time that day. Upon seeing his scars, Sigyn could not contain her gasp of horror. Eyes hardening, she reached out to caress his skin. Loki made to stop her, but a glare quickly stilled his movements. Ever so gently, Sigyn placed a hand on Loki's lean, scarred chest. She carefully traced feather-light touches across each portion of raised flesh. All of his lean muscle could still be felt beneath and Sigyn could his heart hammering in his chest.

Looking into his nervous eyes, Sigyn smiled serenely. "You are stinger than I ever believed," she murmured. She slid her hands up his chest and onto his shoulders, tugging him closer. When he hesitantly leaned forward, Sigyn grinned and kissed the side of his neck, sliding her tongue to the spot on the corner of his jaw, just below his ear, that she knew drove him crazy. One of her hands slid back down his torso to palm the bulge that was beginning to form in the front of his trousers.

A quiet moan tore from Loki's lips. Sigyn knew exactly what to do to ensure that he would be half-mad with need. He needed to regain control before he was too far gone to be able to savor the moment. While she was busy working on his neck, Loki snaked his hand into her undergarments and pressed one long finger into her slick folds and found the bundle of nerves that he knew would make her incoherent with pleasure.

What he did not expect, however, was for her to moan loudly before biting down on his neck.

Loki growled and withdrew his hand. Her pressed forward, using his superior weight to push and pin Sigyn to the bed, wrists above her head again.

"Do you like it when I touch you?" he purred. "Does it feel good?"

"Y-yes," Sigyn muttered.

Loki kissed and licked his way down her neck and chest, lingering around her collarbones, before he attacked her breasts with his talented mouth. Low whines cold be heard as Sigyn arched her back, trying to gain more contact.

"Loki," she keened. "Please."

The god of mischief smirked, loving how easily he could have her begging for him, undone by his tongue and lips. He loosed her wrists and slid down her body, planting kisses down her toned stomach, pushing her undergarments down to her knees and allowing her to kick them the rest of the way off, leaving her entirely nude beneath him.

"What do you want me to do?" he whispered, his cool breath caressing the tender skin of Sigyn's inner thigh. When he only received a whimper, Loki raised his head to look at his wife. "You have to tell me what you want Sigyn."

"I want you to touch me," she whispered, a blush creeping up from her chest to her cheeks.

"Where?" he asked. "How?"

The blush covered Sigyn from breast to hairline as she glared at the man nestled between her legs. She tangled her fingers in his silky black hair and positioned his mouth above her slit. "Here," she hissed. "With your mouth."

Loki flashed a charming yet mischievous grin before he dragged his tongue slowly across her slick womanhood. Sigyn whimpered as he teased her, but it morphed into a throaty moan when he flicked the bundle of nerves near the top of her sex while sliding a finger into her opening.

"Loki!" she cried.

The god hummed his approval at her reaction, which pulled another moan from her lips. Loki carefully slid another finger into her, not wanting to hurt her. When she attempted to buck her hips into his mouth, Loki pressed his free hand to her stomach to keep her in place, all the while continuing to pump his fingers in and out of her and teasing her with his tongue.

Not long after, Loki curled his fingers just so, sending Sigyn over the edge with a low groan. He felt her legs twitching slightly and he slowed his ministrations, bringing her down from her climax gently.

When the last of the tremors faded, Loki carefully withdrew his sticky fingers from Sigyn, eliciting a whimper of protest from her. Once he managed to catch her eye, he made a show of licking his fingers clean, making small noises of satisfaction as he did so. Wake he was satisfied his fingers were clean, Loki crawled back up Sigyn's body, caressing her skin with his lips, tongue, teeth, and fingers. When he finally reached her face, he placed a soft, lingering kiss on her lips, to which she responded languidly.

Through her climax-induced stupor, Sigyn could feel her husband's hard length throbbing in the confines of his pants. She started to reach down to unbuckle his pants, but Loki caught her hand and pressed it to his lips.

"Not now," he murmured, knowing that she would take a while to recover from her high. "Rest now. We can continue later if you wish." He rolled off of her and pulled her to his chest and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"That cannot be comfortable," Sigyn murmured, running Loki's hip sleepily. "At least pull these off."

Knowing that she wouldn't rest until she had what she wanted, Loki undid the clasps of his too-tight pants and slid them off his narrow hips, and he had to admit that the release of pressure felt much better.

Sigyn frowned. "These too," she grumbled, tugging on the green shorts he wore under his pants.

Loki simply raised his hips up and allowed Sigyn to pull off the shorts, finally freeing his aching erection. He hissed quietly as it brushed against Sigyn's smooth skin, and it took all of his self control not to roll back on top of her and press into her tight heat. He screwed his eyes shut as he fought for control, leaving him blind to the oncoming assault from his mischievous wife, so when her warm hand suddenly gripped his thick shaft, Loki was unable to restrain the strangled groan that tore from his throat.

"S-Sigyn," he gasped. "What are you doing?"

"It has been for too long since I have felt you inside me," she answered as she threw her leg across his body and positioned him at her entrance. "I need you. Now."

Loki grinned and gave a shallow thrust, just barely pressing into her before pulling back out. Before Sigyn could do more than growl in protest, Loki had her on her back and was skimming his tip over her slickness.

"Do you want me inside you?" he growled seductively. "Do you want me to fill you?"

"Yes!" Sigyn snarled. "If you do not do it now, I will flip you back over, tie you to the bed, and do it myself!"

"Without warning, Loki pressed himself in to the hilt, eliciting groans from both himself and Sigyn.

"You feel so good," Sigyn moaned. "You make me feel so full."

"I am going to make you feel more than full," Loki hummed. "I am going to pleasure you until you are incoherent, and if you dare to pass out, I will force you awake and punish you for your insolence. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she growled. "Now prove that you can do it!"

Loki grinned devilishly and pulled out slowly and then slammed in roughly. He started a brutal rhythm of quick, rough thrusts, followed by slow, languid motions that kept both of them teetering on the edge.

When both were panting and covered in sweat, Loki finally paused for a moment, just long enough to roll onto his back without dislodging himself.

"Finish it," he panted. "I know neither of us can take much more."

Without a word, Sigyn rolled her hips, causing Loki's length to rub against her walls deliciously. She started to rock her hips, drawing moans from both herself and her husband.

Unable to remain entirely passive, Loki sat up and started kissing Sigyn's neck. He worked his way up her jaw until their lips met in a passionate exchange, tongue tangling in a sensual dance.

"I am so close," Sigyn groaned against Loki's mouth.

"Come for me," Loki whispered, giving a rough thrust upward.

The additional stimulation was all Sigyn needed to reach her second climax of the night. The fluttering convulsions around his member sent Loki over the edge as well, flooding Sigyn with his seed.

The pair collapsed, Loki on the bed and Sigyn on his chest. Rolling over, Loki pulled his love's leg over his hip, allowing him to remain buried inside her.

"I love you," he whispered, tightening his arms around her.

"And I love you," Sigyn whispered back.

**Woohoo for smut! This went from a K to an M with no warning! I blame my rampant teenage hormones. Haha, review please!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Alright, chapter four. Yaaaaay! Get ready for some actual plot! Limes, feels, and her-death experiences galore! **

**And one more thing: I know I deviated from the mythology a lot, and I did it on purpose. Please don't harass me about it. Thanks in advance!**

Loki smiled contentedly as he held Sigyn is his arms. Her steady breathing was quickly lulling him back into sleep. It was the first night in two months that they hadn't torn each other's clothes off in a frenzy of carnal lust, and he found that it was quite enjoyable. Not that their lovemaking- if it could even be classified as such- wasn't immensely enjoyable, but Loki did love simply curling up with the woman he loved in his arms from time to time. Not that he would ever admit it to anyone.

"Loki?" Sigyn breathed into his chest. "What time is it?"

"Not quite dawn," he answered softly. "Go back to sleep."

Drowsily, she pulled herself out of her husbands arms and sat up, the blankets pooling at her waist. "I have to go," she murmured. "I will be back in less than an hour."

Loki frowned but didn't protest. "I will likely be having breakfast with Thor and Lady Sif in the dining hall. You may find us if you wish."

Sigyn nodded distractedly as she tightened the laces of her corset. "I shall." She turned to face her beloved. "I will see you there."

Loki pressed a light kiss to her lips and bid her a good day. Then she was gone.

"Odd," he mused once he was alone. "She is rarely so distant." Shrugging it off as another incomprehensible inner working of the female mind, the god finished dressing and picked up the silver chain he'd continued to wear. After a brief moment, Loki placed it back on the nightstand. He strode out of his chambers without anther thought.

Upon entering the dining hall, Loki was bombarded with loud voices, though none were directed at him. In fact, no one seemed to notice that he had entered at all.

"You cannot do this to him!" Thor thundered. "He has not even been given his full freedoms yet!"

"And that is _precisely_ why he must do this!" Odin bellowed back. "It is Loki's fault that we are in this situation to begin with, so it falls to him to fix it!"

"What of Sigyn?" the warrior growled. "What will become of her?"

Loki finally stepped forward. "What are you planning for Sigyn?" he snarled.

Thor whirled around and Odin narrowed his eye.

"Loki-" the blonde began.

"_Silence_!" The All-father cut him off. "Go. I wish to speak to Loki alone."

Thor's expression darkened, but he reluctantly obeyed the command and left the room, pausing briefly to touch his brother on the shoulder, a sympathetic look on his face.

Once the blonde was gone, Loki warily padded forward, cursing himself for not wearing his chain today. This was the first time since he'd been sentenced that the All-father had graced him with his presence.

"What is it I may do for you, All-father?" he asked coolly.

Odin narrowed his eyes at Loki's abrupt behavior. "We will get to that," he said dismissively. "First, I wish to know how you have been."

Loki snorted. "As if you do not know. Do you honestly believe that I would not have noticed how my every move is monitored? I know they have been reporting to you. Besides, if you truly cared how I have been, you would have deigned to speak to me before eight months had passed, rather than pass your messages along through Thor or Sigyn. So _please_, spare me the pleasantries and tell me what you want from me."

Frowning, Odin stared at his youngest son, who met his gaze unflinchingly. "What did you hear before you made your presence known?"

"The problem is my fault and therefore I must fix it, and it will somehow affect Sigyn."

Odin nodded slowly. "Those in power on Midgard have been attempting to contact us. They feel threatened by us, especially now that we have the Tesseract. They wish for some sort of peace treaty."

"What does any of this have to do with me?" Loki asked, dread beginning to build in his gut.

"As our being revealed to Midgard was because of _you_, and _you_ are the one who destroyed their city, it falls to _you_ to make peace."

"Get to the point," Loki growled, losing his patience.

"I proposed a marriage between my youngest son and one of their officials- of their choice, of course- and an attempt at trade between our realms."

"You want me to marry a _mortal_?" he repeated, incredulity written across his face.

"No," Odin said quickly, sounding appalled at the thought. "But it will stop them from attempting to wage war on us."

"And if I refuse?" Loki asked through gritted teeth. He couldn't believe that this was happening.

"Then I will strip you of your powers and return you to the same rock I found you on in Jotunhiem."

Loki glared at the All-father for a while longer before he lowered his gaze. "When do I meet her?" he asked.

Odin beamed at his victory and motioned with one hand. The doors flew open and the sound of light footsteps filled the air. Slowly, Loki turned around, only to come face-to-face with none other than the Black Widow.

"_You_?" Loki gasped, losing his composure for a moment. "Why _you_?"

"It's good to see you too," she smirked.

Loki narrowed his eyes. "Why you?" He repeated, each word distinct.

Natasha smiled, though it looked more like she was baring her teeth at him. "The higher-ups wanted to send someone up who was already somewhat familiar with Asgardians and who could handle herself if things went south."

Loki glared at her before turning to Odin. "When is the ceremony?" he snarled.

"It will be in two weeks time on Midgard," the king answered. "I expect you to be prepared and on time."

"As you wish, All-father." Without another word, or even a glance at his bride-to-be, Loki turned and stormed out of the room.

Natasha gave Odin a polite bow before she went out after the obviously angry man she was supposed to marry. She was startled at his behavior. She had been expecting the charming psychopath, not the angry yet submissive man that had just stormed out without a glance at her.

Glancing around, Natasha saw the tails of Loki's coat disappearing around a corner. She chased after him, curious as to what had caused such a drastic change in the man in such a short time.

"Loki!" she called, hoping he would wait for her. When she rounded the corner, she was greeted by his back.

"What do you want?" he asked coldly.

"What's wrong with you?" she demanded. "I'm not happy about this either, but marriage seems a small price to pay for peace between Asgard and Earth."

"Would you like to explain that to my _wife_?" he snapped, still not turning around.

"Your wife?" the agent repeated, sounding thoroughly stunned.

Loki whirled around, eyes blazing. "Yes!" he exploded. "_My wife_! The woman who has stood unwaveringly by my side for the past three hundred years! The woman whose heart I am about to break, all in the name of _peace_!" The last word was spat out like a bad taste in the mouth.

Natasha looked utterly astounded. "I did not know you were married," she muttered.

Loki snorted. "Know this, mortal: I will not lay with you. I will not share my bed with you. Sigyn has remained faithful to me through the centuries, and I will do the same for her. I do not care if you wish to bring another to your chambers at night, but I _implore_ you to be discreet. Such a scandal could ruin your precious _peace_." Without waiting for a response, Loki turned on heel and stalked away, leaving Natasha alone in the corridor.

As soon as he entered his chambers, Loki released a surge of energy, obliterating most everything in the main room.

"Loki?" a familiar voice called from further inside the rooms. Sigyn appeared and looked around the destroyed room. "What is wrong?" she asked, rushing forward.

"The All-father," he ground out, "has decided that I will wed a Midgardian woman to establish peace between the realms."

Sigyn recoiled from him, a wounded expression on her face. "And you agreed?"

"Only after he threatened to banish me to Jotunhiem," Loki muttered. "And I have already informed the woman that I will not, under any circumstances, share my bed with her.

"She is here?" Sigyn asked, suddenly eager. "May I meet her? I have never met a Midgardian."

Loki gave a blank state for a moment, but then chuckled dryly at his wife. "Would you really wish to meet the woman to whom I will soon be wed?" When she nodded excitedly, Loki chuckled again at her enthusiasm. "Let me fix this mess first." A moment later, everything was righted. "Shall we?" Loki asked, extending his arm for his beloved wife.

"We shall," she answered, accepting his proffered hand.

A burst of magic brought Loki and Sigyn to the dining hall once again. Odin had left and Thor, Sif, the Warriors Three, and Natasha were all seated at a table.

"Brother!" Thor bellowed. "Have you recovered from your ill temper?"

Loki smirked. "I have. Destroying things always makes me feel better," he answered, pulling out a chair for Sigyn to sit in before he took his own seet between her and Fandral.

"I see you are not wearing your chain today," the blonde warrior pointed out.

"A poor day not to restrain my magic," he admitted. "Though I believe I faired well on my own."

"The palace is in on piece," Sif said dryly, "so I would have to agree with you."

Before Loki could offer a retort, Sigyn elbowed him in the ribs and looked pointedly at Natasha.

"Ah yes." Loki cleared his throat. "Agent Romanoff, this is my wife Sigyn. Love, this is agent Natasha Romanoff."

"A pleasure to meet you," Sigyn said excitedly. Natasha nodded silently, a carefully neutral expression on her face. The Asgardian woman looked slightly put out at her lack of response.

"Agent Romanoff has never been much for words," Loki offered, noticing his wife's expression. "I, myself, have only spoken to her twice, neither of which were particularly civil."

Natasha narrowed her eyes. "How do you know I'm not much for words?" she asked. She already knew the answer, but she wanted to hear him say it.

Loki rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Barton," he said simply.

The Widow wrinkled her nose. "What else did you find out through him?" She was just morbidly curious at this point.

"Your childhood, the Red Room, how he came to know you, your history with SHIELD, and that one spot on your ribs that makes you-,"

"Alright," Natasha said quickly. "More than you need to know."

"If he were not so difficult, perhaps he would need to know," Sigyn said cheekily.

Both Loki and Natasha choked on their respective drinks.

"What?" Loki growled once he had recovered. "You would have me be unfaithful?"

"Is it really unfaithful if you are married to both of us?" she asked idly.

Loki shook his head and Natasha wrinkled her nose. "He couldn't get me drunk enough to want to sleep with him."

"You know," Loki grumbled playfully, "that is hurtful." He shrugged nonchalantly. "But I have Sigyn, so..."

"If you do not want her in your bed," Fandral stage-whispered, "then I will gladly take her to mine."

"You've got a better chance than Mr. I-Destroy-Cities-For-The-Hell-Of-It," Natasha smirked.

Loki went suddenly straight-faced, shoved away from the table, and fled the room. Sif rose as well and followed him out, leaving everyone baffled.

"Did I touch a raw nerve?" the assassin asked.

"Yes," Sigyn said stiffly, moving to follow Loki and Sif out of the room.

"Loki!" she called. "Sif!"

Around a corner, she could hear hushed voices. She followed them and found Loki, who looked like he was torn between seething and sobbing, and Sif, who was attempting to comfort the price without touching him, as he also looked ready to explode.

Sigyn hurried forward and placed a gentle hand on her husbands forearm. She noticed his fists clench, but refused to withdraw her touch. "Loki," she whispered. "She did not know."

Loki closed his eyes and drew a deep breath through his nose. Sif and Sigyn could see his jaw working as he ground his teeth. Without warning, he drew both women close before releasing a violent pulse of magic. Luckily, their proximity to him protected them from the blast and there had been nothing breakable in the hall. Once the blast had faded, Loki maintained his embrace for a moment longer.

"Sif," he murmured, voice barely under control, "would you please tell Agent Romanoff that I apologize for my behavior and explain to her- in private- the reason?"

"Yes Loki," the warrior answered quietly, secretly eager to be away from the volatile man.

"Thank you," he said, finally relinquishing his hold on her. Sif quickly turned back to the dining hall, leaving Loki and Sigyn alone.

Neither made a move to pull away until Loki abruptly shoved his wife against the wall, pressing his lips to hers in a rough kiss. He lifted her by the hips and she wrapped her legs around his waist, almost instinctively.

Not wasting any time, Loki began to move his wife's undergarments aside and plunging two fingers into her before she could protest.

"Loki," she gasped, trying her best to ignore the sparks of pleasure beginning to shoot up her spine. "Not here."

"Yes here," he snarled back. "No one will see. I have made sure of that." Not giving her a chance to protest again, he bit down harshly on her neck and filling his mouth with the salty tang of her lifeblood.

Sigyn groaned loudly at the pain. She secretly loved it when he abused her, when he dominated her like this. He didn't do it often, but when he did, it left her shuddering and panting for more.

Loki responded to her groan with a rough shove of his fingers into her right core. He carefully withdrew his teeth from her neck and have the wound a forceful lick. After a couple more pumps of his fingers, he withdrew the digits and began to work on his pants. The moment his aching erection was free, Loki pushed himself into the tight wet heat of his wife, burying himself to the hilt.

Neither of them lasted very long. Not ten minutes had passed before they were righting themselves and their clothes.

Loki pressed a tender kiss to Sigyn's lips. A light touch of his fingertips on her neck and the bite mark was gone. "I love you," he whispered against her lips. "Thank you."

"And I love you," she whispered back. "Shall we head back?"

Loki shook his head. "I think I would like to visit my mother's garden, perhaps ask her advice."

Sigyn nodded. "I will be in the infirmary if you need me."

"The infirmary?" he repeated, suddenly terrified. "Why? Are you ill?"

Looking away uncomfortably, the woman shrugged. "I do not think so, but..." She hesitated, biting her lip. Loki waited patiently for her to continue, idly playing with one of her auburn curls. "I worry that something may be wrong with me, as I am not yet with child, even after our frequent couplings."

Loki took her chin gently and forced her to meet his gaze. "There is nothing wrong with you," he said firmly. "It is me. As a Jotun, it is likely impossible for me to impregnate you."

"What of Agent Ro-,"

"No," he said quickly. "I have already said I will not bed her."

Sigyn lowered her gaze. "I apologize."

Shaking his head, Loki smiled softly. "You need not apologize. As I am to wed," he sounds choked, "her, it is normal to expect a child, but I will not lay with her. Not while I have you. Now, would you like to head to the infirmary? I am certain there must be some sort of potion or spell that would allow us to conceive."

"You wish for a child?" Sigyn asked, eyes wide with amazement.

"Darling, I would love nothing more than to see your belly grow with our child."

An enormous smile split the woman's face. "It brings me joy to hear that, but I must go alone. They will not permit you to enter, as it is not 'proper.'" Her disdain was clear at the word, but Loki allowed his wife to leave without protest.

* * *

"I never knew," Natasha said quietly, "never thought that that he had been through so much."

Sif nodded. "He has shown me his scars. Not much can leave a mark on an Asgardian, or a Jotun for that matter, but the entirety of Loki's chest and back are ravaged."

Natasha sat in silence for a long time. "What is a Jotun?" she asked finally.

Sif wrinkled her nose in distaste. "A frost giant."

"Is that what Loki is?" she asked.

"Yes," the warrior answered. "He looks like an Asgardian most of the time, because the All-father took him as an infant from Jotunhiem, but if he comes in contact with their casket of power or another Jotun, he takes their form, so I've been told. I have never seen it myself."

"What do frost giants look like?" the assassin asked. "And why are they called giants if they are the same size as a human?"

"Loki is small. His father, Laufey, stood several heads taller than Thor."

The Black Widow nodded. "What do they look like?"

"Blue skin with odd, raised patterns swirling over their entire bodies. And red eyes." The warrior grimaced. "Blood red all the way through."

"I'm glad Loki doesn't look like that," Natasha muttered. "It would've taken me longer that four months to agree to marrying him if he did."

Sif raised her eyebrows. "Four months?"

"Two months deciding who to send up here, and then four months of me arguing the decision."

"You did not wish to marry a prince?"

"I don't want to get married at all, let alone to someone I'd spoken to all of once."

"Why would you not want a family?" Sif asked, honestly curious.

"I'm not good with children," the red-head answered. "Or with people in general. Rarely does anyone care for me; it's usually just the character I present them with."

Sif frowned. "Which character are you presenting now?"

"I'm not," she admitted. "This is just me."

"Then I do believe I like you," Sif smiled.

Natasha smiled as well. "You and Clint are the only two then."

"You and Loki are very similar, the warrior said thoughtfully. "Both of you constantly have your guard up, but when you relax, you are both quite enjoyable to be around."

Laughter erupted from the assassin. "You think I am similar to Loki?"

"The man you fought on Midgard was not the real Loki," Sif said sharply. "That man was not under his own control. Loki has a penchant for mischief, but not mayhem. He will never admit it to anyone, but he is a very sweet man. I have no doubt that he will be a good husband to you."

Natasha snorted again. "I do doubt that. I don't think we'll have much interaction after the wedding. He's already told me that he doesn't care if I have affairs so long as I'm discreet."

"I do not believe that," the brunette said. "He kept Sigyn at an arms-length at first, but once they were wed, he could not keep his hands off of her. He was insatiable."

"Did he have a wife before her?"

"No," she admitted. "But he did have children."

"H-he's a _father_?!" Natasha spluttered.

Sif smiled in amusement at the human's reaction. "Yes. Would you like me to introduce you?"

Loki appeared behind Natasha suddenly. "Actually," he said, "would you mind if I took her? I would-"

Natasha jumped at the sudden voice behind her and her training kicked in. She dropped down and swung her leg out, tripping the intruder and landing him on his back. She jammed her knee into his throat and reached for the gun that was usually strapped to her thigh.

Loki put his hands beside his head in a show of surrender while he struggled to breathe. He attempted to speak, but with his windpipe being crushed beneath Natasha's weight, it was impossible.

"Oh!" the assassin gasped as she recognized Loki beneath her. She stood up and helped him to his feet. "Sorry."

Loki smirked at his future wife. "I understand why they chose you. Not many mortals could have pinned me so easily."

Natasha returned the smirk. "Not many people can sneak up on me."

"If you two are done," Sif said dryly, "I will take my leave."

The two murmured their assent without breaking eye contact. They had engaged in a impromptu staring contest. Sif rolled her eyes and left the pair alone.

"So you're a father?" Natasha queried.

"Yes," Loki confirmed. "I have three sons, Fenrir, Jörmungandr, and Slepnir, and one daughter, Hel."

"Do they all live here? May I meet them?"

"I do believe that all but Slepnir would either frighten you or try to kill you. Or both."

"I don't scare easily," Natasha growled as her vision began to blur from not blinking.

"I am fairly certain that a giant wolf and serpent would both frighten you and attempt to kill you, and not even Thor can face a half-corpse child without chills running up and down his spine."

The assassin blinked. "What the hell kind of creatures have you been sleeping with? And I thought you were loyal to your wife."

Loki smiled at his victory. "All four were conceived and birthed before I married Sigyn.

"Natasha grunted. "So Slepnir is normal then?"

"As normal as an eight-legged horse can be."

"You fathered an eight-legged horse?"

"Mothered actually," Loki corrected casually. "I was wandering around as a mare and was found by a stallion," he explained, knowing she would ask. "Not my best idea, but I do love Slepnir dearly. Would you like me to introduce you? He is quite sweet."

"Must favor his father," Natasha joked. She motioned for Loki to lead on. Together, they made their way outside.

Loki decided to take the scenic route so that his reluctant wife-to-be could see more of Asgard, as he doubted that she'd had much time to explore. When they finally reached the tall wooden fence that housed Slepnir, Loki leapt over it in one graceful motion.

"Wait there," he instructed. Not bothering to see if she would comply, the god muttered a few words under his breath. Natasha watched in awed silence as he morphed into a beautiful mare right before her eyes. A dappled gray coat covered his- her?- powerful body and a smokey mane fell over the graceful curve of her neck.

Loki nickered quietly, amusement apparent even in this form. Tossing her head back, the mare whinnied loudly and took off running across the field, disappearing from Natasha's line of sight quickly.

Shifting from foot to foot uncertainly, the red-head waited in silence for Loki to return. She did not leave her long. Minutes later, they gray mare returned, this time with a darker gray stallion by her side.

Loki released a loud huff and nudged her son closer to Natasha. Slepnir approached cautiously, all eight hooves stamping nervously. Carefully, the Widow extended her right hand, palm up, toward the magnificent animal.

At another encouraging nudge from his mother, the stallion lowered his head into Natasha's waiting hand and allowed her to rub his jaw. The woman marveled at the horses soft coat and how it contrasted with the powerful muscles underneath.

"Who's a pretty boy?" she cooed quietly. They gray animal tossed his mane proudly and seemed to smile at her.

After several minutes of Natasha lavishing praise on her son, Loki bumped her hand with her nose to gain the assassin's attention. She tossed her head back and reared up a bit. When Natasha just gave her a weird look, the mare snorted impatiently. She grabbed the sleeve of the woman's dress lightly between her teeth and pulled gently.

"You want me to come over?" she asked, idly wondering if the mare could understand her.

The question was answered when Loki whinnied excitedly and pawed the ground.

Natasha took a few steps back and eyed the fence. It was just above her chest, meaning she would have no trouble scaling it. She ran the few paces and jumped the fence with ease, even using her hands on the top of it to do a flip.

Loki rolled her eyes at the assassin as she dropped to her belly and waited. When Natasha did not move, the mare looked pointedly at her and then to her back. She repeated the motion until the woman approached warily and mounted her. Loki surged upward and took off at a full gallop, Slepnir hot on her hooves.

If it hadn't been for her extensive training and lightning fast reflexes, Natasha feared she would've fallen off Loki's back. As it was, she was clinging to the mare's neck and had her thighs clenched tightly around her middle. She couldn't help but admire the smooth way the horses powerful muscles flexed and relaxed and vaguely wondered if Loki's muscles would move that way when he wasn't a horse.

Slepnir moved forward to run beside his mother, snapping the Widow from her train of thought, all eight legs moving at a leisurely pace. Loki edged closer to her son until they were shoulder-to-shoulder. She dropped her right shoulder for a moment, clearly wanting Natasha to move to Slepnir's back.

'What the hell,' she thought to herself.

Carefully sitting upright, Natasha somehow managed to get her feet under her in a crouch. Her hands were gripping Loki's mane tightly as she struggled to maintain her balance while preparing to leap to the stallions back. With a deep breath, she launched herself across the short distance, successfully landing on the horses powerful back. The moment she had herself properly situated, the gray horse took off. If Natasha thought they were at a full gallop before, then she had no idea what this was. It seemed as though the extra set of legs allowed Slepnir to run faster than she believed possible, and they easily outpaced Loki, who disappeared behind them in a matter of moments.

Natasha threw her head back and laughed, pure, unadulterated joy pouring out of her. She laughed until it hurt and until Slepnir began to slow. The stallion plodded along until a breathless laugh was heard behind them. Horse and rider turned as one to see Loki, no longer a horse, jogging toward them.

"I forgot how much fun it is to run with you!" he said through his laughter. The man came around to his son's face and petted his nose. "Have you seen your brother lately?"

The horse nickered in response and glanced toward a stand of trees a couple miles away.

"How would you like to take Agent Romanoff and I to see him?" When his son turned broadside to him, Loki grinned and leapt gracefully onto his back. "Scoot forward a bit?" he asked. "I am at the widest part of him."

Natasha wriggled forward to give the god more room. She stiffened slightly when he pressed flush against her back and wrapped his arms around her waist, but allowed the contact.

Once they were settled, Slepnir set off at a brisk trot towards the woods.

"Are we going to see Fenrir?" Natasha asked.

"Yes."

"I thought you said he would try to kill me."

Loki chuckled in her ear. "You will be safe, Agent. Fenrir should not attack so long as you are with myself or Slepnir."

The agent was unconvinced, but she had no choice but to trust his word. "You can call me Natasha," she said instead. "Even if we don't like it, we will be married soon, so there is no sense in you calling me Agent Romanoff."

"If that is what you would prefer."

The rest of the ride was spent on silence. It took them about half an hour to reach the edge of the woods, where Slepnir paused. A quiet murmur of encouragement from Loki and they were entering the forest. Only a few paces inside and the thick covering of leaves blocked out all but a few beams of sunlight from reaching the floors leaving them in a murky darkness.

"Where-"

Loki clamped a firm hand over Natasha's mouth. "Careful how you speak," he hissed. "Fenrir is not the only thing in these trees, though he is the only one who would hesitate to kill us."

Natasha felt an unbidden shiver of fear claw up her spine as she unconsciously shrank back into Loki's chest. The god removed his hand from her mouth and back to her waist, albeit a bit tighter than before.

Slepnir continued to walk for almost an hour, until a low growl filled the air. The stallion tossed his head nervously and came to a halt. More snarls filled the air, coming from all around them. Natasha shuddered once before she controlled herself. Loki gave her a reassuring squeeze as an enormous silver wolf padded silently into sight, the dull light making the canine appear to glow.

"Is that Fenrir?" the agent breathed.

"Yes," Loki said quietly. Releasing his hold on the woman in front of him, he slid off of Slepnir's back and cautiously approached his eldest son. Fenrir growled at him and Slepnir stamped his front two hooves in warning. Loki stood by the horses left shoulder and extended a hand, ignoring the growls from unseen wolves.

Fenrir bared sharp yellow fangs the size of kitchen knives, even as he crept forward, keeping his father between Slepnir and himself. As he got closer, Natasha realized that the wolf was easily the same height as the horse she was on and at least twice as broad. A whimper bubbled up in her throat, but she forced it down.

When he was close enough, Loki reached up and scratched the massive wolf behind the ear. The beast allowed the contact, though his tail swished aggressively and the fur on his spine bristled.

"Fenrir," Loki said soothingly, "how are you?" The wolf snorted at him, so the dark haired man tried again. "Have you been eating well?" He slid his hand around to pat his son on the snout, causing the wolf to snap at his hand.

Loki's temper flared for a moment and he smacked his son on the nose. "Is that any way to answer your father?" he snapped.

Deciding he'd had enough, Fenrir threw his head back and howled. The action spooked Slepnir, who reared up on his hind legs suddenly, causing Natasha to lose her balance and fall to the ground. All the air left her lungs in a rush, leaving the woman momentarily helpless.

Meanwhile, Loki was attempting to calm his sons. When he'd reared up, one of Slepnir's hooves had caught Fenrir in the head, creating a gash that was bleeding heavily. More wolves began to stalk forward, and though none were as large as his son, Loki knew they were dangerous.

"Natasha," he said urgently. "We have to go. Now."

The agent was still struggling to regain her breath, so Loki scooped her up and placed her on Slepnir's back. Climbing up behind her, he dug his heels into the horses flanks, making him surge forward. Soon, he was hurtling through the trees as fast as he could without running into one.

Fenrir howled again and gave chase, and the other wolves followed him. Loki's four-legged son outpaced the other wolves, though he was no match for his eight-legged half-brother. Even in the thick woods, Slepnir could easily outmatch anything on four legs, so long as he kept his balance.

Just when the edge of the trees came into view, a lone black wolf barreled into them, nearly knocking Slepnir off his hooves. From behind, Fenrir lunged, jaws open wide and slavering. Reacting quickly, Natasha whirled around, a throwing knife flying from her hand and hitting the monstrous wolf and I bedding itself in his shoulder. The animal cried out in pain and hit the ground. The moment it took him to recover was all that Slepnir needed to regain his footing and leave the woods, and the furious pack of wolves, behind.

Moments later, the three burst from the trees and into the fading light of the setting sun. It was several yards before Slepnir slowed to a stop. The horse was breathing heavily and shaking violently. Loki swiftly dismounted and extended a hand for Natasha, who ignored the proffered limb and climbed down herself.

"I have so many questions and accusations that I don't know where to begin," she said bluntly.

Loki chuckled breathlessly and stroked Slepnir's flank. "Fenrir is not usually so aggressive, not even when I brought Thor to meet him, but he cannot leave the forest due to an enchantment placed by my mother."

"I'm sorry I threw a knife at your son."

He shrugged, still rubbing Slepnir's trembling body. "He has endured worse. He will recover with no complications." Turning his attention to the horse, Loki gave his hindquarters a gentle smack. "Go. Eat and rest."

The horse nuzzled his mother gently before trotting away. Once he was out of sight, Loki uttered a low groan.

"Never should a man ride a horse bareback while it is galloping," he muttered.

Natasha was unable to restrain the laughter that bubbled up in her throat. "Why?" she asked, already knowing the answer. "Did you break something important?"

"Considering I have every intention of fathering more children, yes."

"We almost died running from one of your children not five minutes ago, and you want to have more?" The woman was incredulous.

"I love my children, no matter what they are. Why would I not want more?"

Natasha shook her head. "I don't want children at all, so four seems a bit...excessive to me."

Loki smiled gently. "I did not want children either, but after my first, I realized that being a parent is something I enjoy immensely." The god frowned. "But if I am not mistaken, you are physically unable to bear children?"

"Yeah," she said offhandedly. "The Red Room experiments did that."

"What if I could correct it?" he asked eagerly. "My mother instructed me in magic from a young age, and as you have seen, I am proficient at altering my own form, so I could practice on myself first before trying anything on you."

"Why are you interested?" Natasha cut in. "It's not like you'd gain anything from it, and I already told that I don't even want kids. They're loud, messy, and I happen to enjoy sleeping at night. And how are we getting back to the palace?"

Loki grinned mischievously and allowed the subject of children to drop. "Like this." He reached out and snagged her wrist, tugging her closer until she was firmly against his strong chest. Before the assassin could protest, they were sucked into a vortex of magic that dumped them back at the entrance to the palace.

"That was unpleasant," Natasha muttered, shoving away from the trickster. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go find a private place to vomit."

"Would you like me to escort you back to your chambers?" Loki offered.

"Actually, I would. I have no idea where anything is around here."

The god flashed a charming smile and offered an arm, which the red-head bemusedly accepted.

Once Natasha was safely in her rooms, she stripped down to her Midgardian underwear- she had refused to give it up- and flopped on the bed. Her first day on Asgard had been eventful to say the least, and Loki hadn't been a total ass, but she still found herself longing for the familiarity of her room in the Avengers Tower. She missed her bed, her room, her lover.

Clint. She missed him terribly, especially now that that she was winding down for the evening. It had been a long time since she'd been to bed without him next to her, and she doubted that sleep would come easily that night.

Though they'd never "officially" labeled themselves, there had been an unspoken agreement between them, and here she was, about to marry a man that had enslaved her partner. If she were perfectly honest, Clint was the main reason she had fought so hard against marrying Loki, aside from the fact that it was Loki.

"Steady Romanoff," she muttered to herself. "This is just another mission. No need to act like you'll never see him again. I'm sure he'll be at the wedd- ceremony."

Shuddering at the thought of being bound to Loki for the rest of her life, Natasha went to her wardrobe. Very few of her clothes from Earth were inside, but she had managed to snag a couple of Clint's shirts that still held his scent. Pulling one of the too-big shirts over her head, the woman crawled under the covers of her new bed and resigned herself to sleeping alone forever.

"Good night Clint," she whispered. "I love you."

**Oh lawdy, that took forever to type. I listened to about seven half-hour CreepyPasta's. I'm really glad I hand-write all of my chapters before I type them, or this would've been sooo messed up...anyway, I hope you enjoyed! **


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